Murder of an Amish Bridegroom

Amish Seamstress Mystery #1

by Patricia Johns

The quiet Amish lifestyle isn't all that it seems in this debut cozy mystery series.

Petunia Yoder is Blueberry, Pennsylvania’s youngest old maid, at twenty-two years of age, and completely unmarriageable. But she’s determined to celebrate her friends’ weddings with joy and a full heart. Unfortunately, Petunia’s best friend, Eden Beiler, is playing a dangerous game with a man who is ruining her reputation.

Ike Smoker is the community’s ice man—the one who cuts, stores, and sells the ice—and when Petunia discovers him dead with an ice pick in his chest, Eden is found on the scene with blood on her hands. Homicide detective Asher Nate is new to the area, and he has a challenge on his hands. The Amish community sticks close together, and he doesn’t understand the subtleties and nuances of the clues he uncovers. He needs an Amish interpreter, and he asks Petunia if she’ll help. In a bid to keep her best friend out of prison, she agrees.

The community is filled with people who had good reason to hate Ike Smoker, especially as Petunia and Asher begin to uncover his secrets. Was someone trying to protect their family's reputation? Or to exact revenge for a sin buried deep in the past?

There’s a litany of damning clues that litters the ground—and if Petunia and Asher can’t come up with the truth, they could end up as the next ones on the killer’s list.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Amish, Fiction, Audiobook, Amish Fiction, Cozy

272 pages, Hardcover

Published December 5, 2023

About the author

Publishers Weekly bestselling author Patricia Johns writes sweet romance. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband and son.

Sign up for her newsletter: https://bit.ly/35kj3Rn

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by this 🇨🇦 Canadian author and her terrific Amish cozy "An Amish Seamstress" series will be one that I'll follow.

This is a great start to a new series set in Blueberry, Pennsylvania. Petunia Yoder is a heroine I adore. She's curious and outspoken and surprisingly for an Amish lady, she can't cook or bake. 🫨

The mystery is light and enjoyable with a good amount of suspects and secrets. Petunia becomes involved in solving a murder when her friend Eden is seen with blood on her hands at a local ice shop and a dead ice man, Ike Smoker. Petunia helps an Englisher detective Asher Nate who isn't familiar with her community as she believes wholeheartedly that her friend can't be the killer.

I find the characters, and setting of Murder of an Amish Bridegroom charming. The story has a good pace and flows well without the fillers you find with some cozies. Will definitely be reading/listening to more!

Rebecca Gallagher's narration was great for the story and character, and very enjoyable to listen.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this ALC.
9H 33M
Published December 5, 2023.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is the first book that I remember reading by Patricia Johns, but I plan to read more by her. This story is action packed with twists, turns, and a large pool of suspects. Blueberry is a small town in Pennsylvania with both Amish and Englishers living together. Petunia is considered the youngest old maid because she is her own person, doing and saying what she thinks. She and her father live together. She is a seamstress, and he runs a tourist company showing Englishers around the Amish community. When she discovers her best friend Eden covered in the blood of her boyfriend Ike, Petunia is determined to prove Eden's innocence and agrees to work with the Englisher detective Asher to smooth his way interviewing Amish residents. This story is complicated and multilayered with secrets galore and many of the Amish look suspicious. Petunia is sure an Amish person is responsible for this brash, unscrupulous Amish man's death. This is a page-turner that those who enjoy Amish fiction, cozy mysteries, and suspense will find a good read and may find the ending a little bit of a surprise.

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a new series and it indicates that the Amish Seamstress Mystery series is going to be one to follow. One little query - no Amish bridegroom was murdered in the telling of this story. Not quite sure where the title came from. However one at least of the murdered persons was indeed Amish. But definitely not a bridegroom.

Our main characters are Petunia Yoder, Amish, smart and sure that she is spinster material, and Asher Nate, Englisher, detective and totally charming. They absolutely have to sort out the Amish/ Englisher problem because they are the cutest couple and deserve to be together.

The mystery is excellent, the characters charming and I think I may have to give it five stars. Looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Petunia Yoder was a seamstress, happy in her work sewing for upcoming brides, but when she went to pick up some ice for making her specialty ice-cream, she was shocked when her best friend, Eden Beiler, rushed out covered in blood. Ike Smoker, Blueberry's ice man, was inside - dead. The icepick had made sure of that. And Eden was on top of the suspect list.

The Amish community was tight; they stuck together and sheltered one another from anything unsavory. But there weren't many who had liked Ike Smoker; consequently there were a lot of suspects. When the new, local detective sheriff, Asher Nate, asked Petunia to be his interpreter and help out within the community he wasn't used to, Petunia agreed. With secrets and lies unfolding at a rapid rate, both Petunia and Asher knew the clock was against them. Would they find the killer before someone else died?

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is the 1st in An Amish Seamstress Mystery series by Patricia Johns and I quite enjoyed it. Petunia wasn't the 'norm' in the Amish community - stubborn, with her own ideas, determined to do the right thing, and a business woman to boot - everyone, including her father, said she wasn't marriage material (she is 22 in the book!!) A young old maid she's called, and she doesn't mind a bit! Her character is a delight! I'm definitely going to read more in this series, and recommend this one to fans of cosy mysteries.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canadian Author Patricia Johns sets the stage with this first book of her new Cozy mystery series. Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is her debut into this genre and I found it to be an edge of seat page turner. The murder happened at the beginning of the book and the rest of the story was about solving the mystery. There was no shortage of suspects who had reason to benefit by the victim’s murder. I was totally drawn into the story until the very end of the book. This mystery had everything that I like to find in a Cozy mystery. It was riveting and especially near the end of the book. I loved the characters that made me feel as though I was right there in the midst of the story. Lots of unexpected surprises make this cozy unpredictable and an excellent Mystery.

Ike Smoker isn’t your average Amish man. In fact he is the most hated man in the Blueberry Pennsylvania Amish community. The only reason people might think he is Amish is that he drives a horse and buggy and dresses in Amish clothing. Ike has a habit of using people for his own benefit. He doesn’t care whose reputation he tarnishes or what people think of him. He upset the wrong person and that person took matters into their own hands. Who hated Ike Smoker that much that they would be willing to end his life in the Ice Barn?

I recommend Murder of an Amish Bridegroom to readers of Cozy Mystery and Amish Fiction. This is book one of the Author’s An Amish Seamstress Mystery Series. This book is scheduled to be released on 12/5/23.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are my own.

#MurderofanAmishBridegroom#NetGalley

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

#MurderofanAmishBridegroom #NetGalley is a first in a new series, and for me, a new author.
I've always been intrigued by the Amish way of life, so reading cozy mysteries with this setting always excites me.
I found this book to be quite good, and I love the main character!
She's true to her Amish beliefs, however, her spicy personality adds a certain charm to the story. Her father is sweet, and he's so supportive of her.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is the first book in An Amish Seamstress cozy mystery series. I've read quite a few Amish books by the author, but this is her first cozy mystery, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Overall, I thought the book was good, the characters were well developed, and I wasn't able to guess who did it before it was revealed. I liked the fact that it took place in the state I live in, that's kinda neat. There were a lot of characters in the book which did make it a bit hard to keep track of who was who and what their purpose was. The dialogue was a bit simplistic at times and some of the conversations unbelievable. I'm not sure I would believe a police detective would allow a civilian to help with the case by letting our main character be as involved and questioning people as she did. Overall, a solid presentation that surprised me with the secrets revealed and I will continue the series, after all it is fiction so there will be some inconsistencies compared to what's realistic and what's not.

Pub Date 05 Dec 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas's Thoughts

In this first Amish Seamstress Mystery, we meet Petunia Yoder. She is twenty-two years old and has been deemed "completely unmarriageable" and "Blueberry, Pennsylvania’s youngest old maid". She is opinionated and not afraid to speak her mind, she is barely a passable cook, but she stays true to her Amish beliefs, and has a heart as big as all outdoors. She lives with her father who runs a tourist company showing Englishers around the Amish community. She helps him and makes ice cream treats for the tourists. She is also an experienced seamstress making wedding clothes for her Amish community.

Ike Smoker cuts, stores, and sells ice to the community. He has been seeing Petunia's best friend Eden Beiler and the whole community is not happy about it. He doesn't care that his actions are ruining her reputation and she is convinced he is the love of her life.

Petunia needs ice for a new batch of ice cream from the ice house. When she arrives she finds Ike dead with an ice pick in his chest and Eden covered in his blood. She swears she didn't kill him and Pet believes her but homicide detective Asher Nate is the one that needs to be convinced. Eden is arrested but the detective is new to Blueberry. He knows to get to the truth he is going to need help understanding the Amish and their ways. He asks Petunia to be his Amish interpreter. She will do anything to help her friend so with her father's permission she agrees to work with him.

___

This series is off to a fine start. I enjoyed meeting Petunia "Pet" Yoder. She is not your typical young Amish woman, that is for sure, but I feel bad that she has already been declared an old maid and that she has accepted her fate. She just needs to find a strong man who likes to cook. There is a little spark between her and Detective Nate but he is not Amish. He does respect Pet and quickly sees she is a puzzle solver so they work pretty well together. I love the relationship Pet has with for father. He accepts her for who she is and suffers through her burnt pies and deflating breads while supporting her and striving to always keep her safe. I felt these core characters were nicely developed for the first book in this series.

I was surprised that Ike Smoker was allowed to behave as he did and stay within the community. He may dress like the Amish and drive a horse and buggy but he is an awful man without any scuples. Allowing him to stay in the community does set up a notable mystery. It is not hard to see the list of suspects grow as Pet and Asher find out all that the man has done. Like any community you could find anywhere,  Englishers or Amish, people have secrets and will go to great lengths to keep them from being revealed. Pet turned out to be an excellent amateur sleuth. She listened carefully, asked great questions, was aware of everything happening around her, snooped when she had to, thought things out, and talked things through with Asher.  I really enjoyed following along with the both of them as they sorted through all the clues.

Blueberry, Pennsylvania is an interesting town. The author described the area very well. It was very easy to map out the community in my head. I love the seamstress theme of the series and getting to see inside the Amish way of life including some darker sides. The subplots were interesting and added depth to the book, especially that of a young bride-to-be whom Pet was sewing for.

I am a little confused about the title. Ike was murdered and he wasn't a bridegroom.

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom introduces a wonderful protagonist and a handsome detective, both of whom I want to get to know better. They are caught up in an intriguing mystery that is very well written. I am eager to see what Ms. Johns has in store for her characters next.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder Of An Amish Bridegroom is the first book in the An Amish Seamstress Mystery series by Patricia Johns.

Petunia Yoder is known as the youngest old maid in all of Blueberry, PA. Petunia is outspoken to think for herself, whereas, in the Amish community, the man handles everything outside the home. Plus, her cooking, for the most part, definitely needs improving, but her ice cream usually turns out fine. Her father has an Amish tour business, and when the day’s tours are complete, the tourists are brought back for ice cream. Petunia needs to make ice cream for today's tourists, but first, she needs to visit Ike Smokers Ice House. When she arrives at the ice house, she sees her close friend Eden standing in the doorway and has blood on her hands and dress. Once inside the ice house, Petunia finds Ike Stoker, Eden’s boyfriend, dead, having been stabbed in the chest with an ice pick. Eden says she came to visit Ike and found him dead. The police are called, Asher Nate arrives, and Eden is soon taken off to the police station to be questioned. Petunia is sure that Eden didn’t kill Ike during Petunia’s interview with Det. Nate said that since he is relatively new to Blueberry and an Englisher, Petunia suggests she be with him when he interviews the Amish. Based on Petunia's information at the scene and shared with Nate, Petunia might be a valuable asset and agrees that they team up. Petunia shares with Nate that Ike was not well thought of in Blueberry. He was known to borrow money and not pay it back and was known to be a womanizer.

Murder Of An Amish Bridegroom is a beautiful start to a new series. The characters were well-developed, believable, and enjoyable. I particularly liked Petunia’s father. For the most part, he wasn’t happy that Petunia was working with the police, but on the other hand, it was something that she needed to do, and that she would do an outstanding job. The book is well-written and plotted. There were enough twists and turns that I kept guessing until the end as to the killer's identity.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I’m anxious to see how Petunia and Asher get on the next time.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Petunia may never be the bride, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be happy for her friend who is getting married. And when Eden’s fiancé is found stabbed to death and blood is found on her hands, things don’t look good for Eden.

Luckily for Eden, Petunia ends up helping the Englischer police detective understand the Amish community and nuances he isn’t familiar with. It’s a good thing that Petunia is so headstrong and her father supports her, because this could be Eden’s only chance at learning her name.

A solid start to a new cozy series. I’d liken this more to Amanda Flower than Wanda Brunstetter books, but it certainly has a great concept and a solid protagonist to get it off on the right foot. Looking forward to more in this series.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nicely written Amish story is the first in a new cozy mystery series. Because she is outspoken and quite independent, 22=year=old Petunia is the self-proclaimed youngest old maid in Blueberry, PA. When her best friend is found standing over a dead body, Petunia decides to get involved in the investigation. The English police detective accepts her offer to help, realizing her guidance and knowledge of Amish culture could open doors for him. I like the premise of the Amish helping the English solve crimes, although it does strongly remind me of the Kate Burkholder series written by Linda Castillo. Thaks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start to a new cozy mystery series!

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is such a fun mystery! I enjoyed how Patricia Johns weaves in all the Amish history, as well as insights into their unique culture. I hope there will be many episodes in the Amish Seamstress Mystery series.

A clever mystery, great characters, and a nice peek inside this interesting world. I highly recommed Murder of an Amish Bridegroom.

The audio version is nicely performed by Rebecca Gallagher.

an audiobook copy of Murder of an Amish Bridegroom was provided by Dreamscape Media, via NetGally, for the purpose of my honest review

[Bhuku · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Murder of an Amish Bridegroom’ is a twisty murder mystery exploring small town Amish community dynamics and the impossibility of expecting perfection.

Premise - When the local bad boy, Ike, is found dead, an English homicide detective, Asher, enlists the help of an Amish “old” maid, Petunia, to crack the case.

There’s:
🌼 A charming Amish community

🌼 A bit of religious hypocrisy

🌼 Plenty of secrets!

🌼 A relatable heroine

🌼 Great buddy-cop chemistry between English Asher and Amish Petunia

I liked Petunia’s energy, curiosity, and willingness to go out on a limb to help her friend. She was well-realized and felt like a real person.

I also liked the thematic exploration of how it’s unreasonable to expect perfection and everyone (even a bishop!) needs a second chance sometimes. Messaging was mercifully light and interwoven, however, and it never called attention to itself or overpowered the story.

Overall, this was a fun, easy read and I would continue reading more books in this series!

Thanks, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Maryann Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder of An Amish Bridegroom by Patricia Johns. She has written several books set in Amish communities. Murder of An Irish Bridegroom is my first book by Johns; I'm looking forward to reading many more. The book is quite engaging from the first page to the last.
Petunia Yoder, a young Amish woman living in Blueberry, PA, is a seamstress and assists her father with his Amish tour business. She tends to be outspoken, is not a good cook, and identifies herself as the youngest old maid in Blueberry. Petunia discovers a dead man, Ike Smoker, operator of the local ice house and her best friend Eden Beiler at the site covered in blood. Detective Asher Nate soon realizes that Petunia is determined to clear her friend, is respected by her Amish neighbors, and could be of assistance to him as he investigates the case. Ike was not well liked so there are several possible suspects. In the course of the investigation, family secrets emerge, possibly implicating a respected community leader.
It is an exciting ride as the detective and Petunia cooperate to discover the murder/murderers, especially after a second dead body is found-again by Petunia.
Murder of An Amish Bridegroom is an engaging and intriguing Cozy mystery, a very satisfying read. 4 Stars.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, that in no way impacted my review.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to a new series! The Amish have always been portrayed as good and virtuous people (as they are) and I had no idea there was a seedier side until I saw the show title “Amish Mafia” (never actually watched it) and it made me think that there are some who are not like the others. This book cemented that view; in fact, at times, I had a difficult time reconciling the fact that the characters were Amish, but that added to the drama of the story. I loved Petunia and her matter-of-factness as well as her spirit and determination. It will be interesting to see where this partnership with Detective Asher Nate and the police department does in future books.

I received a copy from #NetGalley, #CrookedLaneBooks, and #Dreamscape_Media for an honest review.

[Barbara Brewer]

This was a wonderful love story and also a murder mystery type of story. This book goes to show Don give up on faith. You Don't know someone until you really meet thrm. This book was approved by netgalley and the publisher for me to read and review.

[Stacey E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know that cozies are not supposed to be realistic, but this was a little much for me. I'm not an Amish expert, and I know there are so many different orders with different practices and beliefs throughout the country, however I didn't feel the Amish as a whole was portrayed well here. There were so many contradicting morals that didn't feel authentic and were very much secular behavior to me. For example, Amish men in bars getting drunk and urinating in public, a single woman keeping company with a man who doesn't belong to her faith, multiple accounts of adultery leading to pregnancy, snooping, stealing (taking a photo), and physcial abuse (slapping).
I'm not saying these things don't happen, but to write a book portraying Amish lifestyle, this felt wrong.

The narration was fine as far as how she preformed, my only complaint was the sporadic use of accents. I think the Amish accent should have been used throughout the book or not at all. It really didn't flow well with the random use.

In the end, I was surprised at "who done it" as I was wrong every time I guessed throughout the book. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

[Star Gater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Dreamscape Media for accepting my request to read and review Murder of an Amish Bridegroom on NetGalley.

Narrator: Rebecca Gallagher

Stars: 4.5

This is book one in the Amish Seamstress Mystery series and I need to know when will book two be available. I really enjoyed the book. I went through it so quickly, I felt lost when it ended. Let me explain, the story was spot on. The characters were developed; I felt like I have known them forever. The story was explained in the synopsis. It was not over the top. I found it to be instinctive. I wanted to follow along.

My one issue was with Petunia. Even now I'm wondering can a woman be half Amish and half English. Petunia spoke English, but had Amish ways. I liked the relationship between her and her father, as well as she and the local detective. Both felt natural.

There is only one other cozy mystery series that I have enjoyed this much (Traci Hall's Scottish Series) and I did have moments were I reminisced.

I loved the narrator. She performed beautifully.

Recommend to readers transitioning from middle grade to teen and adult mysteries, as well as for adults.

[Tracy Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Petunia Yoder makes wedding dresses, which is ironic as the residents of her hometown, Blueberry, Pennsylvania, consider her their youngest old maid and unmarriageable. When she stumbles across a dead body with an ice pick in the chest and a close friend with blood-stained clothing standing nearby, Petunia knows she has to do something.

Detective Asher Nate has been working out of the Blueberry precinct for a short while but has already worked out that, as an Englisher, the Amish way of life is something he needs to learn a lot about. When it becomes clear, the only person who can't be guilty is Petunia, Asher asks her to be the liaison between himself and the local community. As interviews begin and Asher starts to work out what happened, Petunia wonders if life in Blueberry will ever be the same again.

This is the first in Patricia Johns' new series, and I loved it! Petunia and Asher are already fully formed as the main protagonists and worked well alongside other characters who hopefully will appear in future books. The storyline was excellent and combined seamlessly with some of the basics of the Amish way of life, which I look forward to learning more about as the series continues.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. This promises to be an excellent new series, which I look forward to reading a lot more of. Highly recommended.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

When Petunia discovers the body of her Amish community’s ice man, she also discovers her best friend on the scene with blood on her hands. Asher Nate, the homicide detective, is new to the area and needs Petunia’s help to interpret the clues he uncovers. To keep her friend out of jail, she reluctantly agrees to help.

This is what appears to be the first book in a new series featuring the Amish in Pennsylvania. We live not to far from that part of our state, and I enjoy books set there if they’re accurate and well-written. I couldn’t help but compare this book to those I’ve read by Laura Bradford and Amanda Flower, and when this book fell a little short, I thought perhaps it was the author’s debut, but that is not the case. It does, however, appear to be her first *mystery book, so that might contribute to that slight disappointment.

I like Petunia, the main character, her father, and the way he supports her in her desire to be her own woman. The jury is out on some of the others in the Amish community, but I’m sure many of those will be addressed in future books in the series. I didn’t care for the almost instant attraction Petunia felt for the detective – a little too close to the ‘love at first sight’ trope that I dislike so much. It’s hard to believe that a woman so far past her rumspringa would fall so quickly for an Englisher, but that too may be addressed as the series progresses.

The murder victim didn’t have a good reputation in the Amish community, so there were quite a few potential suspects to consider. My list kept changing as the story progressed and more information was uncovered, but the motive and the actual killer took me by surprise, so kudos to the author for not making the mystery easy to figure out. I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see what happens next with Petunia and Asher, and to get to know more of the people in Blueberry, PA.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout the entire time, from the murder to the solution, no one checked fingerprints of the murder weapon. Who knew Amish were a murderous lot? Beware the bearded men, homemade bread, and buggies.

[Mary Dolata · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Interesting to learn a bit about Amish culture and lifestyle.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a wonderful start to a series. Can’t wait to read more!

[April Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is the first in the Amish Seamstress Mysteries. Petunia Yoder is the self-proclaimed Youngest Old Maid in Blueberry, Pennsylvania. She speaks her mind, independent and her cooking skills need some help. But she is an excellent seamstress and has a business making wedding dresses for the women in the Amish community and also selling Amish style clothing to her father's tourist business customers. Local iceman, Ike Smoker, is found stabbed in the icehouse and Petunia's best friend, Eden Beiler, is there with him and with blood all over her clothing, the police think they have their killer. Petunia knows Eden could never kill anyone. There are no tire tracks in the snow, which means the killer has to be someone in their Amish community. Petunia gets Police Detective Asher Nate to let her help in the investigation. He realizes she can get him into the homes of the Amish so he can question them. Ike is not well liked so there are plenty of suspects and secrets. Then a second murder happens. Can Petunia and Asher find the killer before Petunia becomes the next victim.

LOVE THIS BOOK! I could not stop reading once I started. Petunia was my favorite character, but her father, Elias, was a close second. I can't wait till the next book of this series!
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion.

[Caitlin C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this first in series! I both read and listened to this audio book.

The setting is in cold and frigid Amish country and the main character is a strong willed “unmarriagable” Amish woman, Petunia. Petunia has accepted her fate, knowing she is not marriage material. She speaks her mind too much, she has too much of an opinion and she can’t cook for anything. She has resigned to caring for her widowed father instead of settling down with her own family.

Things take an unexpected turn when she finds her best friend, Eden standing over the body of Eden’s not so secret lover, Ike Smoker. Ike is a bad boy who showed up in Blueberry, PA several months prior. Everyone has warned Eden against Ike but she loves him….

Local detective, Asher Nate is investigating Ike’s murder, and asks for Petunias help with navigating the Amish community.

It is impossible not to adore Petunia and appreciate her strong sense of self. She seems to feel a sense of longing for her own husband and family, but is also excited at being the towns youngest old maid.

I can’t wait to read more of these!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series introduction! The character development was well done and the author has created characters that readers are going to really like. Petunia, who considers herself ‘the youngest old maid’ in her Amish community, is smart, strong, compassionate and determined to find the truth of who murdered Ike Smoker. Asher Nate is the detective who is responsible to investigate crimes in his community, both ‘English’ and Amish. He recognizes that to find this murderer he’ll need someone within the Amish community to assist in the investigation. Thus begins the partnership between the two. The mystery is well developed and keeps you guessing. Is the portrayal of the Amish community accurate? I have no idea really. Does it matter? It doesn’t to me, because the story itself is so good and the story is what I chose the book for.

[Megan Rang · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book is set to release December 5,2023.

I LOVED IT!!! It was such a fun read to have an Amish woman assisting an Englisher detective in a murder case! The characters were likable and it knelt me guessing right up to the very end. I REALLY hope this isn’t the end and the author continues this as a series! I would certainly keep reading!!!

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publication Date: 05th Dec 2023

4 Stars

One Liner: A solid start to a series

Petunia Yoder is the youngest old maid of the Amish community in Blueberry, Pennsylvania. She is 22 and too independent (straightforward, nosy, and opinionated) to find an Amish husband. However, Petunia isn’t worried. She is a seamstress (among other things) and has enough income of her own. Her widowed father runs a tourist agency, and the two have a comfy life.

One day, Petunia goes to Ike Smoker’s place for ice only to find him dead and murdered. Eden Beiler, her friend and Ike’s girlfriend, is the prime suspect. Petunia knows Eden is not the murderer. When Homicide Detective Asher Nate, a newcomer in the region, asks for her help to interpret the Amish nuances, Petunia agrees to help. After all, she needs to clear her friend’s name.

Soon, she discovers there’s a lot she didn’t know, and her life could be in danger even if sleuthing is fun. Can Petunia and Asher solve the murder before there’s another death?

The story comes in the third-person POV of Petunia Yoder.

My Thoughts:

My first introduction to the Amish community was through the Criminal Case game on Facebook. So when I saw this book, I wanted to re-live the experience in another format (and I’m always looking for new cozy mysteries). Let’s say this was a fun ride.

I don’t know anything about the Amish, so I can’t say how authentic the portrayal is. A few words from Pennsylvanian Dutch are used but are easy enough to understand.

Petunia sounds and acts older than 22. She has some girly traits but is balanced enough when required. Even Asher, the English detective, though 27, seems stable and reliable. Quite surprising, but nice, too.

There are bits of humor scattered throughout the book. Be it Petunia’s cooking (no guarantees there) or her father’s confidence that she will enjoy sleuthing way too much. He is a great character. He is protective but also someone who knows his daughter well and gives her the freedom she craves (something the Amish girls don’t always seem to have).

There are a variety of characters, each doing their part and bringing something to the plot. Some make a stronger impact, and I hope to see them in future books.

The mystery is well done. Ike Smoker is disliked by just about everyone in the Blueberry Amish community. In fact, he hardly seems to have any Amish traits. This increases the list of suspects, but the plot progression is well done. The reveal comes out with a bit of a surprise yet ties up everything with satisfaction.

Though the cover looks ordinary at first glance, it is cleverly done. I wish the colors popped out a bit more (or are they deliberately muted to suit the simple Amish lifestyle?).

At just 272 pages, the pacing is a bit uneven, but that’s expected in the first book of a series. However, there’s no dull moment. The book ends on a hopeful note with a clear indication that Petunia will continue to solve crimes in Blueberry.

To summarize, Murder of an Amish Bridegroom is a good entertainer and a great start to a new series. It sets the right tone and expectations for the coming books. There will be romance too, and I’m curious to see how it will be handled.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #MurderofanAmish Bridegroom